Beer can stein with attached handle

ABSTRACT

A metal beer can having a pull tab opening on the upper end thereof so to permit a person to drink directly therefrom, the beer can instead of being cylindrical in shape being slightly tapered upwardly so to resemble the configuration of a beer stein, and the outer side of the can having a flat strap placed adjacent thereto, the center of the strap being able to be pulled away from the can so to form a convenient handle for being held in the hand while drinking.

United States Patent Parlagreco BEER CAN STEIN WITH ATTACHED HANDLE [72] Inventor: Thomas J. Par 5 Ferris Court, l-lo-I-lo-Kus, NJ. 07423 [22] Filed: Jan. 15, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 106,694

[52] US. Cl. .220]! BC, 220/94 R, 215/100 A [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 25/28 [58] Field of Seerch..................220/l, 94, 54, 47, 27;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1966 Avirnty et al. ..220/54 3/1971 Olan ..220/54 [I5] 3,692,202 (451 Sept. 19, 1972 Russell ..220/94 R Champlin ..229/52 A Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney-Thomas J. Parlagreco [57] ABSTRACT A metal beer can having a pull tab opening on the upper end thereof so to permit a person to drink directly therefrom, the beer can instead of being cylindrical in shape being slightly tapered upwardly so to resemble the configuration of a beer stein, and the outer side of the can having a flat strap placed adjacent thereto, the center of the strap being able to be pulled away from the can so to form a convenient handle for being held in the hand while drinking.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED EP 19 I97 :NVE R THOMAS J. PARLAG rasco BEER CAN STEIN WITH ATTACHED HANDLE This invention relates generally to beverage cans.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved beverage can which has the appearance of a beer stein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage can which instead of being cylindrical in shape is slightly tapered upwardly so as to resemble a conventional beer stein mug.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage can having a flat strap placed adjacent the outer side of the can, the strap being able to be pulled at its center away from the can side so as to form a convenient handle for being grasped in a person's hand while drinking.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a beer can stein which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention shown as it will appear when being retailed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof shown in operative use; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the upper end of the can prior to being opened.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a beer can stein, according to the present invention, wherein there is a beverage can 11 of conventional type for holding beer, carbonated or non-carbonated drinks, the can being made of sheet metal that may or may not be coated upon its inner side in a conventional manner to beverage cans.

The can 1 1 includes a generally cylindrical side wall 12 which is slightly conical by tapering upwardly, a concave bottom wall 13 and a circular top wall 14. Accordingly due to the slightly conical shape of the side wall 12, the circular top wall 14 is of a smaller diameter than the concave bottom wall 13.

Upon the top wall 14 there is provided a conventional pull tab 15 so that a person may open the can 11 by pulling on the tab instead of the necessity of employing a can opener, such as is well known in the art of beverage cans. However, in the present form of the invention, the pull tab 15 serves to remove a tear-strip 16 completely around the top end wall 14 of the can so that the entire top wall is removed. Thus the upper end of the can in use, as shown in H0. 2, is provided with a lip 17 that extends all around and to which a person may apply his lips so to drink directly from the can.

Along the side 12 of the can there is positioned a fiat strap 18 which may be made of inexpensive plastic material, the opposite ends 19 of the strap 18 being sidewardly flared as shown in FIG. 1. Near each flared end 19 there is secured to the can a generally U-shaped bracket 20 made of sheet metal or the equivalent, each of the straps brackets 20 thus forming a slot 21 through which the strap 18 extends, the strap accordingly being freely slideable within the slot 21 so that in operative use, the center portion of the strap 18 can be pulled away from the can side 12 so that the flared ends received into the slots 21, the center of the strap thus forming a convenient handle for being held in the hand durin drinking such as is shown in FIG. 2 of the drawmg. l is of course to be noted that each of the brackets are shaped with side edges 22 adjacent the slot 21, the side edges 22 extending in a converging direction toward the center of the strap 18 such as is readily evident. The converging side edges 22 thus form a stop for preventing the flared ends 19 of the strap from slipping out of the brackets 20.

Thus there is provided a beverage can that includes all the advantageous features of a conventional beverage can but which additionally gives the appearance of a beer stein or mug so to add to the pleasure of drinking directly therefrom.

What I now claim is:

1. In a beer can stein, the combination of a beverage can made of sheet metal, said beverage can being adaptable for containing beer or other beverage therewithin, said can including a side wall, a circular bottom wall of convex configuration, and a circular top wall, self-contained means for opening said can being provided upon said top wall, and handle means provided on the side of said can, said self-opening means comprising a pull tab at one end of a peripheral tearstrip formed around the said upper end of said can so that the entire top wall thereof can be removed so to present a lip all around the upper end of said can to which a person may apply his lips for drinking directly from the can, said handle means comprising a flat strap positioned adjacent the outerside of said can, the opposite ends of said strap being sidewardly flared, a pair of brackets secured to said can, each of said brackets being positioned relatively close to said flared ends and and being fitted over said strap, each said bracket being of U-shape to form a slot through which said strap extends slideably free, and the side edges defining said slot being tapered to conform to the flared side edges of said strap ends, said tapered side edges of said brackets thus forming a stop for limiting the sliding travel of said strap end and preventing said strap from disengagement with said can and brackets, and said can side wall being slightly tapered upwardly in a conical configuration so that said upper end wall is of relatively smaller diameter than said bottom concave wall, thereby giving the illusion of being a beer stein. 

1. In a beer can stein, the combination of a beverage can made of sheet metal, said beverage can being adaptable for containing beer or other beverage therewithin, said can including a side wall, a circular bottom wall of convex configuration, and a circular top wall, self-contained means for opening said can being provided upon said top wall, and handle means provided on the side of said can, said self-opening means comprising a pull tab at one end of a peripheral tear-strip formed around the said upper end of said can so that the entire top wall thereof can be removed so to present a lip all around the upper end of said can to which a person may apply his lips for drinking directly from the can, said handle means comprising a flat strap positioned adjacent the outerside of said can, the opposite ends of said strap being sidewardly flared, a pair of brackets secured to said can, each of said brackets being positioned relatively close to said flared ends and and being fitted over said strap, each said bracket being of U-shape to form a slot through which said strap extends slideably free, and the side edges defining said slot being tapered to conform to the flared side edges of said strap ends, said tapered side edges of said brackets thus forming a stop for limiting the sliding travel of said strap end and preventing said strap from disengagement with said can and brackets, and said can side wall being slightly tapered upwardly in a conical configuration so that said upper end wall is of relatively smaller diameter than said bottom concave wall, thereby giving the illusion of being a beer stein. 